


For Now

by Yurenato



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Childhood Friends, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Spoilers, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Lies, Light Angst, Pining, Romance, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-01
Updated: 2020-04-02
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:53:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22879063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yurenato/pseuds/Yurenato
Summary: Who knew one letter could change your life.... Well, a letter and a lie. Your best friend, closest confidant, Sylvain Jose Gautier got you both into this mess. But you didn't know that, he won't tell you yet. For now, you hide behind a curtain of lies.
Relationships: Sylvain Jose Gautier/Reader
Comments: 5
Kudos: 49





	1. The Letter

"Sylvain! Let's get out of here!" you grinned, taking the redhead's hand in yours. You tried pulling him to the door with all your might. "W-what? We'd get in trouble!" he refused, pulling you back into his room. "C'mon... it sucks in here... Miklan won't let us do anything..." you pouted, puffing your cheeks. "Don't give me that look..."

Sylvain sighed, he did want to leave the manor oh so bad. You were right, Miklan was being more of an ass than usual. Perhaps because you were there too. But what would happen if you got hurt? He would never forgive himself. Miklan sure wouldn't do anything and both your parents were away. 

"Fine... let's just stay here then..." you relented after seeing his conflicted expression. "It would've been nice to see Dimitri, Felix or Ingrid though..." you frowned, Sylvain doing the same at the mention of both of your closest friends. 

You plopped down on your bed, motioning for Sylvain to pass you the book you placed on his desk. "What is this about anyway?" Sylvain asked, reaching out for the book. You took the book from his hand and laid back down. "It's... it's just a book..." you said, making Sylvain raise a brow at you. Before you could open it and continue reading from where you left off, he yanked the book out of your hands. "I didn't know you were into these kinds of books..." he chuckles. "S-shut up! I think it's romantic! A knight, looked down on by many for his low social status, falls in love- Ah... sorry Sylvain. I know you're sensitive about this topic..." you backed off, setting the book aside. "No no it's fine..." he shows you a sad smile, patting your head. 

"So what do you wanna do?" you asked, changing the topic. "Well... you decide." Sylvain smiled. "Okay!"

"Hey!" Sylvain called out. When did he get taller than you...? You snapped out of your stupor. Oh, you were daydreaming again. How nostalgic, a memory from the past. "Oh hi Sylvain, what's up?" you smiled. "Are you getting chased by a girl again?" you asked, chuckling. "Nah, just came to give you this." he passes you a letter with your family crest on it. "Eh? A love letter? Sylvain... how sweet of you..." you dramatically placed a hand on your chest. "Haha very funny..." he looked at you unamusingly. "What a coincidence though, we got letters from our families at the same time huh." he remarks, holding up a letter with the Gautier family crest.

Sylvain sat next to you and opened up the letter. A cold expression on his face. It didn't surprise you, you've always known how he felt towards his family. 

A letter from your family, you smiled. You wondered what it could be, it had been a while since your parents sent you a letter. Maybe they just wanted to know how you were doing. You opened it up and skimmed through the letter. Wait what? Marriage? You read through it again, heart pounding. No. Things weren't supposed to be like this. No... 

You quietly read the words, dread filling your entire system as you reached the part where it showed who your husband to be was. "Union between House Gautier and House Estielle. Betrothed to... Sylvain Jose Gautier..." you muttered, the sound of parchment being crumpled permeated the room. "What is... the meaning of this...? Is this some sort of cruel joke?!" you stood up, throwing the crumpled paper across the room. Sylvain stayed seated on your bed, his expression unreadable. 

Sylvain was fuming too, he'd received so many of these accursed letters that he'd forgotten the names of the noblewomen his parents tried to set him up with. He was able to turn them down back then, but according to the letter, the decision had already been made and the marriage was finalized.Compared to all those women he'd never met before, you were a far better option. In all honesty, he'd accept because it meant he'd no longer have to put up with women who only wanted his crest babies. And... you didn't care about his crest, you cared about him. But... the way you reacted to the news was proof enough that you didn't want to be with him. He... couldn't force this on you. Still, he never wanted to get married like this. He never did. 

It's not that you hated Sylvain, it was the complete opposite. He was your best friend and you trusted him with your life. But to be forced to marry him? You weren't mad about him being your fiance. You were mad about your parents forcing marriage on you despite the fact that you clearly told them that you wanted to fall in love on your own volition. Maybe they had lied to you to appease you. You felt betrayed, how could your parents do this to you? They weren't forced into marriage, they fell in love with each other! So why... why couldn't you do the same?

"Sorry... I know this is hard for you too..." you sighed, sitting back down on the bed. "Sylvain..." you turned to him, melancholy evident in your eyes. "What should we do?" you asked, worried about your uncharacteristically silent friend. "I don't know." he curtly replied.

"Are we selfish?" you voiced out your question, tone slightly wavering. "I know the marriage is for the sake of our territories, to strengthen them. But I just can't... " you pulled your knees up to your chest. "Maybe we are but can you really blame us for not wanting this? The world of nobility has always been cruel." he clenched his fist, remembering what had happened to his brother.

Sylvain despised crests, it was the sole reason for all this. It was why he never blamed Miklan for hating him. He swore to protect you and it pained him that he was currently breaking his promise. You were hurting and he couldn't do anything. You were the only one keeping him sane right now. Were he to be forced into marriage with noblewoman he'd never even met, he'd probably be declaring war against his family right now. It was you, he didn't feel anything romantic towards you but if the two of you did end up getting married, he'd find solace in the fact that you genuinely cared for him and appreciate him for who he was.

But Sylvain still didn't understand why they'd force the both of you into this. He racked his brain for any possible reason until... he realized it. He knew exactly why. It was his fault that you were both in this predicament. He was the one who hurt you, not your or his parents... His heart sank at the thought. 

A few months ago, Sylvain had visited his parents. They weren't pleased with how he acted around girls and decided to set him up with another noblewoman. He didn't want to and vehemently rejected the idea. But they kept pestering him and he broke, he lied. He said he couldn't because... he was dating you. His parents believed him and stopped talking about setting him up with someone else. He couldn't let you know... not now. Not when you were so fragile and vulnerable. 

The both of you sat in silence, staring at the wall. You'd known each for years, you were most comfortable with each other."Things are too tense right now..." you let out a strained laugh. "I'll go make us some tea, we need to calm down first and think about what to do." you stood up, patting Sylvain's shoulder and flashing him a small smile. "Okay..." he sighed, the guilt eating him up inside. 

The pleasant aroma of the Seiros tea leaves spread throughout out your room, it calmed your nerves a little. You set the tea down on the table and motioned for him to sit next to you. "Oh!" you stood up abruptly, walking towards your study table. "I forgot Mercedes gave me some madeleines." you grabbed the small basket and placed it on a plate. 

You sat back down with a sigh. "Thanks." Sylvain picked up the steaming cup of tea, hands shaky. He unconsciously smiled as he recognized the scent of his favorite tea. He gently put the cup back down and looked at you with furrowed eyebrows. What to do...? He looked anywhere but you. "So, I was thinking that... we should go through with the marriage proposal-" "What?!" you cut him off. "Let me finish! We should go through with it for now. To please our parents, get them to back off. Then here, where they can't see us, we'll figure out a way to call it off." he explained. 

"I... I guess that's a good idea? But what if it doesn't work? What if we can't find a way to call it off?" you looked down at your hands which we placed on your lap. "Then we get married... at least we tried." he smiles sadly. "Look on the bright side... worst case scenario, if our plan doesn't work, us getting married wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. We do love each other after all, even if it's not in a romantic way." he folds his arms, staring at the cup of tea.

"Y-yeah... you're right..." you stutter. Sylvain pulls you into a hug. "It's going to be fine. We'll succeed, I know we will." he reassures you. 'I have to succeed... I'd never forgive myself if I don't...' he thought. "Yeah..." you hugged him back. Despite his... skirt chasing tendencies, you always knew you could count on him. "Well, I'm glad we've sorted things out." you relaxed into your seat. "Me too." he sighed. 

"One more thing, how about..." Sylvain put an arm around your shoulder. Ah... he seemed to be feeling better if he was doing things like that. "We pretend to be a couple?" he suggested. "Er what? Run that by me again?" you looked at him, dumbfounded. "Let's pretend to be together." he repeats. 

"Sylvain this isn't funny." you folded your arms, glaring at him. "I'm being serious. Our parents are probably going to invite us to dinners and parties. If we want to convince them that we're actually fine with the proposal then we have to do this." he explained. "It's not necessary! Most people in arranged marriages don't even love each other!" you protested. "But we've known each other for so long, it'd be weird if we were awkward around each other." he retorted. He did make a good point so you sighed and begrudgingly agreed. 

"Who knows, maybe we'll actually fall in love." he playfully winked, earning a punch in the arm from you. "Yeah right." you scoffed, rolling your eyes. "Wait... are you sure you want to pretend? Mr. I go on a date every day with a different girl, pretending to be a committed fiance?" you raised a brow. "Hey! You make it sound like I'm some kind of sleaze. I'm hurt..." he frowned, making you chuckle. 

"Sylvain I don't think we have to go that far. I don't want to stop you from going out on dates, it's fine." you smiled, patting his back. "You... know how my family is when it comes to crests and all that stuff. I wouldn't be surprised if they sent someone here to spy on us." he explained. "I see... seriously? They're really making this hard huh..." you take a bite of the cake. "Well it'd be mostly for me, to make sure I'm not playing around with other girls."

You groaned, laying your head on the table. "This is such a pain...." you whined. Sylvain didn't want to do this either, he'd always known you were a sucker for romance. It was almost childlike but he found it adorable. He really didn't want to force this onto you but there was no choice, Sothis help him.

"I feel like we should tell Dimitri, Felix and Ingrid about this... I don't want to keep things from them." you said. Sylvain nodded, he didn't like keeping things from them either and it'd be too weird for them to see you and him holding hands or something. 

"So what should I call you? Love? Darling? Sweetheart? I know you're into pet names." he joked, smirking. You facial expression twisted into one of disgust. "Like hell I am! I need to barf... Just call me as you usually do, please." you sighed. "Okay babe." he winked. You flicked his forehead, earning a groan from him. "You know, I think you underestimate the power of your flicks. They hurt like hell!" he whined. "Serves you right." you smirked. 

The situation sucked but it could've been way worse. At least it wasn't with some man you'd never even met. You felt safe with Sylvain. You were glad it was him. The both of you were going to do this together. Besides, it was only for now, right?


	2. Another Day

The moonlight shone across the room, the flowers given to you by a suitor beautifully illuminated. You fondly remember that day, the way he stuttered and bowed politely, the redness of his cheeks. A scene fit for a play, a genre you were so fond of, romance.

Perhaps you were influenced by your parents, they fell in love, your father described it as love at first sight and you never doubted it once. Despite being together for years, they still looked at each other with love in their eyes. It was a marriage to die for. You'd heard their story so many times, yet you never grew tired of it. It was simple, but it was the type of romance you yearned for. They met at the Officer's Academy, students of the Blue Lions house, just like you. Maybe it was fate, their room were right next to each other. They started out by walking to class or training together every day, it was inevitable that they'd fall in love.

Your gaze turned back to the flowers, you checked, they were Gardenias, how lovely... But then you remembered the arranged marriage, not lovely. You'd always dreamed of studying at the Officer's Academy and finding your one true love, well of course your main objective was to master sword-fighting and succeed but romance was pretty up there too.

Sylvain huh... you'd never thought of him that way. He was extremely handsome, you couldn't deny that... and if you ignore the heartbreaking skirtchaser part he was a dependable friend. If you told him you were having a bad day, he'd drop everything to make sure you were feeling better at the end of the day.

You thought about the joke he said, "Who knows, maybe we'll actually fall in love." his voiced rang in your mind. A scene where you and Sylvain, his arm wrapped around your waist, his face slowly lowering to meet your own, his grip on you tightening, pulling you closer until your lips- "Nope! Too weird!" you cringed, burying your face in the pillow.

Sylvain sighed, staring up at the ceiling. Starting tomorrow, the two of you had to act like a couple. He sighed, laying on his side. He could start walking you to class... maybe you'd like it. After he left your room, he promised to make this as tolerable as he can for you. 

"I'm such an idiot..." Sylvain groaned. "I could've just told her the truth... But I panicked and..." he rubbed his temples. He felt like he was taking advantage of your friendship and kindness. It was eating him up inside... But then if he told you.... he'd probably lose a friend, a really close one at that. On the other hand, if he didn't tell you and you somehow found out, it's game over for him. Conflicting thoughts clouded his brain and he couldn't think straight anymore. 

Sylvain sighed, trying to think of something else. "Us... a...couple..." he muttered. This reminded him of all those times you played pretend. Apparently you saw 2 other children pretending to get married and you wanted to do the same. Ingrid settled with being your bridesmaid. He ended up being the groom. He chuckled, all of you were so innocent and pure. 

"Sylvain! Will you marry me?" you got down on your knees, on your hand, a tiny ring made out of flowers. "Of course! I'll be your dashing groom." he winked. "Yay!" you exclaimed before turning to the other 2 boys. "You guys should be more like him!" you pouted. "W-what? But it's too embarrassing..." Dimitri blushed. "This is pointless... we could be training by now..." Felix scoffed. "Felix all you think about is training!" you frowned. "You guys..." Ingrid sighed, but a smile was clearly on her face. 

"You should've asked me earlier." Sylvain chuckles, grabbing the flower ring and slipping it on your ring finger. "So I could've proposed to you instead of the other way around." he smiled, holding both your hands. "W-well then..." Dimitri stuttered. "You may kiss the-"

Sylvain snapped out of his reverie at the sound of your voice. "Nope! Too weird!" he heard you shout out. He smiled to himself and wondered what you were thinking about. It was always nice when you came to visit him, both now and back when you were kids. To think you'd get the room next to him, it was great. He often went to your room, to hide or just hang out. You didn't mind it at all. He figured he might as well have fun with it while it lasted. Even though it was just an act, it might be the only opportunity he had to be in a relationship where crests didn't matter. Of course... until he either told you the truth or found a way to break the proposal off. 

The gentle rapping on your door reverberated through your room. "What time is it...?" you groggily asked nobody in particular, staring out the window. You jolt up from your bed, rushing to get ready. "I did it..." you victoriously pumped a fist up, walking towards the door. The knocking on your door hasn't stopped. Feeling slightly irritated at whoever was making such a racket in the morning, you angrily pulled the door open . Your features softened at the sight of the redhead. 

"Good morning honey!" Sylvain cheerily put an arm around your shoulder. "Don't call me that. It's weird." you sighed, gently removing his arm from you. "Hm, then I'll keep calling you different names until we find something you like!" he smiled, putting the arm on your shoulder once more. "You're really taking this seriously huh..." you slumped your shoulders. "Of course..." he lowered his voice. "We need to fool everyone, who knows when our parents will send someone?" he whispered. "I guess..."

The two of you silently walked down the hallway, it was too quiet for your liking but... it felt so weird. You never thought that your first experience of being in a relationship would be with Sylvain. It wasn't real but still... 

"Hey, just tell me whatever you want and I'll do it." Sylvain offered. "Huh?"you turned to face him, confusion evident in your face. "I kind of forced you into this, it's the least I can do." he smiled, ruffling your hair. "No you didn't, our parents did. So really, you don't have to do anything." you frowned. "But I insist, any fantasy you've had over the years, just tell me and I'll oblige." he chuckled. He was still conflicted, should he tell you...? Not now... it wasn't the right time. 

"Well..." you stared down at the floor, racking your brain. "I don't know! There are things I want to do but it'd be weird with you!" you frowned, flustered. Sylvain chuckled, he'd always found you adorable like that. You were knowledgeable on the subject of love, yet you were also so innocent about it. He always compared it to training. You could read up hundreds of books on it and memorize any skill you'd like but when it comes to an actual battle, the things you studied become near useless. You need experience. 

"My, my, I never knew you were so.... dirty. Fantasizing about all those-" Sylvain teased, earning a light punch on the arm. "I meant things like kissing! Geez... you pervert..." you grumble, leaving him behind. "I know! I was just kidding!" he ran after you. "Since you can't think of anything, why don't I just take you out for lunch?" he suggested. "That sounds good. You're forgiven." you smiled. 

The two of you entered the classroom. Byleth hadn't arrived yet so you thanked the goddess for not letting you be late. You sat on your usual seat next to Annette and Mercedes. 

"Oh before I forget! Mercedes thank you so much for those madeleines! They were delightful." you beamed. "Right?! Mercedes makes the best desserts!" Annette chirped, making Mercdes blush. "I'm glad you liked them. I'd love to make you two more if you want." she offered. "Yes please!" the two of you grinned. 

All you could hear was the sound of chalk against the blackboard and your classmates scribbling on their parchment, taking notes. Byleth broke the silence, praising all of you for your hard work. He started grouping everyone who used the same weapon, stating that it would be useful to learn each other's techniques. Everyone agreed and started changing seats. 

"Hmph, I guess this isn't too bad." Felix sighed, taking the seat next to you. "Aw Felix... that's the sweetest thing you've ever said to me!" you joked, ruffling his hair. He furrowed his brows, glaring at you with murderous intent. "Don't do that. Unless you want to die in the training grounds." he warned, voice dripping with venom. "What's the score right now? " you asked, ignoring now. "Counting the win from last time... 30-30, a tie." he grumbled. The both of you looked at each other, sparks flying. 

"There they go again..." Ingrid sighed, looking in your direction. You and Felix were throwing empty threats at each other, it wasn't the first time. You'd always considered each other rivals. "They never change, do they?" Dimitri chuckles, a small smile plastered on his face. "Yeah..." Sylvain agrees, getting on his feet and walking over to the both of you. 

"Now, now... the two of you shouldn't be fighting in class." Sylvain said, putting a hand on your shoulders. "Stay out of this!" you both glared at him. 

Sylvain dejectedly walked back to his seat, a gloomy aura surrounding him. "You should know by now that's it's useless to try stopping them." Ingrid frowned. "It's best to let them be, unless you want to get injured." Dimitri agreed, nodding.

Class ended along with your bickering. "I'll see you in training. Better get some ice ready because I'm gonna beat your ass so hard!" you smirked at him. "That's not gonna happen. I'll bring some ice but it won't be for me." he mirrored your expression, the both of you walking towards the door. 

You glared at him one last time as you exited the classroom, him mirroring your visage. You felt a heavy weight on your shoulders, you turn your head to the redhead. "Come on, let's go have lunch." Sylvain grinned. You nodded, heading towards the direction of the dining hall, only to be held back by your friend. "I was thinking of trying out that new restaurant you told me about." he said, reminding you of a previous conversation you had. Your expression brightened up a lot at the idea. 

"Can't have you getting your ass handed to Felix now, can we? Gotta make sure you have enough energy. C'mon it's a date." Sylvain winked, holding his hand out to you. You shook your head, rejecting the idea. "It's not a date, dummy." you sighed, accepting his hand.


	3. Lunch Date

The savory aroma of the Beast Meat Teppanyaki you ordered immediately hit your nose as the waiter gently placed the dish on the table. Politely excusing himself, he walked away to wait on the other patrons. You thanked him as you turned towards your companion. 

The redhead looked at you with amiable eyes, lips curled upwards, as he watched you eat your meal with obvious delight. You seemed so carefree and happy, it looked as if food could solve your all your problems. 

"We look like an actual couple." Sylvain remarked, his airy chuckles reaching your ear. You dropped your utensils at the sudden remark. But you couldn't deny it, he was right. You scanned the tables around you, almost everyone was a couple on a lunch date. Eyes lovingly gazing at one another, basically just enjoying each other's company. They didn't have to announce that they were a couple, you could just see it, it was like a sign telling you so. 

Your eyes trailed back to your so called lover, you doubt you could ever get used to it. Letting out an affirmative hum, you propped your head on your hand. Sylvain as your boyfriend? You'd thought about it as a child, he was always so dependable and willing to help despite his own set of burdens. You respected and admired him, but those feelings never developed into anything more. There was a mountainous wall separating the boundary between friendship and romance. 

"You've been staring at me for quite a while, have you finally fallen for my dashing looks?" Sylvain asked, snapping you out of your thoughts. "Maybe." you shrugged, picking up your glass of water. "W-wha..." his mouth fell open, shocked by the bluntness and honesty of your reply. You let out a soft chuckle, finding your friend's reaction amusing. After all, he would never look this silly in front of someone else. 

"While I do admit you're a striking young lad, we both know that you're not my type. At all." you chuckled once more. Sylvain looked at you, feigning offense. "Wow I'm hurt." he dramatically clutched his chest, his face twisting into one of pain. "Did I fool you? I'm a great actor, aren't I?" he grinned, looking back at you. "Hm... 6/10, too dramatic. Your expression wasn't natural enough." you hummed, thoroughly scrutinizing his acting skills as though you were a director in a play. 

Sylvain merely looked at you, mouth hanging open. "I doubt you'd be able to top my acting skills." he sneered. "Oh yeah? I'll prove it to- huh?" you cut yourself off at the feeling of someone's eyes burning into your being. You quickly turned your gaze outside the window, you own eyes staring into dark green ones. By the looks of it, the girl was mad, at you. Why? You didn't know. You'd never seen her before. The more you stared at her, you realized how heartbroken she looked. Then it hit you, she must be one of Sylvain's flings. You looked back at Sylvain, from his expression, you could see your assumption was right.

You set down the money for your meal and stood up. "Well, we- no, you have company. I'll leave you to it. Good luck Sylvain. I'll see you later." you pat his shoulder, quickly leaving the establishment. It was almost time for you to train with Felix anyway. 

Sylvain sighed, motioning for her to wait for him as he called a waiter to pay for his and your meal. This was supposed to be a date, he was going to pay. He picked up the money you left and made a mental note to give it back to you. It was a shame, he was having such a good time. He hung out with you yet it really felt like a date. His rendezvous with other ladies never felt like this, it was always tense and awkward, which he fixed by flirting. But then again, you knew each other well, of course you'd be comfortable around with one another. He blamed the couples surrounding him for making him feel like this. You were a friend, nothing more, nothing less. No romantic feelings involved, the relationship was a farce to fool his parents. 

The sound of wooden blades clashing permeated the room, followed by a loud thud on the ground. "It's been 3 hours, are you two finally done?" Ingrid asked, setting her lance down. "Ha... ha... yeah... I'm done..." you sat next to Felix on the ground, wiping your sweat with your sleeve. "Likewise." the male curtly said, frowning. 

"3 whole hours and all our matches were ties! How is that even possible?!" you groaned, staring at the training sword you used that was left on your side. "Hmph guess we're at equal levels." 

"Wait Ingrid, weren't you supposed to train with Dimitri?" you questioned as you took note of the absence of your blonde haired friend. "He broke his lance, again." a new voice replied. You turned to see Ashe who was currently holding his training bow. You laughed at his answer. "Typical Dimitri."

"Oh! Ashe I've been meaning to ask you, could you teach me how to use a bow? Swords are great but sometimes you need to attack the enemy from afar right?"

"I'd love to." Ashe smiled sweetly. "But not now, you need to rest." he frowned, worrying over your disheveled self. "I'm fine! At least show me how to hold it." "I guess I could do that." he held a hand out to you. You accepted it, standing up. 

Sylvain's been gone for hours, you prayed that the girl from the restaurant didn't kill him. You grabbed a training bow and determined. You scolded yourself, you needed to focus on training now. 

"Sylvain! Jeez...." you ran over to him the moment you saw his red hair. "Your cheek is really red... come on I'll go get you some ice." you said, him wordlessly following you. 

"Sylvain.... I love you but seriously, flirting with every girl you see is not a good hobby." you held the pack of ice on his cheek. "I know but..." "Don't need to explain it to me..." you sighed. "Just be careful. Remember that you're not only hurting yourself when you do this, but you hurt the girls in the process too. Hell, maybe even me, once they know that we're 'together'." 

"Yeah... Sorry..." he mumbled, looking down. "Heh you look so lame right now." you pointed out, trying to lighten the mood. "Hey!" 

You pulled him into your arms, rubbing his back. No reason why you did it, you just felt like it. He relaxed in your arms, he always did enjoy it when you hugged him like this. There wasn't a day when he wasn't grateful to have a friend like you in his life. 


End file.
